New Haven Independent

posted by: anon on February 1, 2012  2:33pm

All nonviolent offenders should be released regardless of whether they are Latino, arrested under false premises, or other. So should many violent offenders whose crimes did not involve a gun.

The State could close more than half its prisons and reinvest those 100s of millions of dollars back into communities to prevent violent crimes (eg hiring workers from high crime areas, creating better job opportunities for at risk youth, reinvestment in foreclosed and blighted homes).

If you look just at areas where prisoners disproportionately come from, we currently spend many times more on prisons than we do on schools.

Even if the official crime rate increased slightly (as a result of more people living in our neighborhoods instead of in prisons somewhere, where crimes are not reported as crime stats), the net positive impact of closing most of our prisons would be enormous.

posted by: Threefifths on February 1, 2012  2:58pm

How come when it came to Emma Jones,Where was the same Black Clergy members at to stand with her.Even now you can’t find them standing with her.

posted by: Willie Williams Jr on February 1, 2012  3:14pm

No! You Can’t Do That! If An Individual Has Proven That They Are Racist, Can You Imagine What They Have Done When No Video Camera Was Monitoring!. Prececute Everybody Who Has Proven Themselves UnWorthy. Under Color of Law! Violating Constitutional Rights, Civil Rights, Arrest Them ALL.

posted by: Concerned Citizen on February 1, 2012  4:05pm

There is definitely a CRISIS of Leadership in East Haven, and Maturo should go NOW.  How can he fix the problems when he is an integral part of it?  How can justice be done unless these arrests are reviewed?
Read the comment by Ferdinando Cerrato in this article: Main Street Celebrates Gallo’s Departure (in the NHI)

...

‘Ferdinando Cerrato, a 79-year-old retired barber from Wooster Street said he’s lived in East Haven for 47 years. He said the chief only retired because he was under pressure. “He and the East Haven police department are doing their job right.” The Latino influx in recent years is ruining East Haven, he said. “They’re all criminals. They should be arrested and deported.” He said he’s disgusted to see signs in Spanish around town. “They’re destroying our language, history and culture.”

Sadly, this innate ... attitude is a part of the problem in East Haven, so is Mayor Maturo.  After the recent EH mayoral election he promptly reinstated Gallo – a man with a history of discriminatory behaviors against minority populations.  While on the NHPD he was relegated to the Animal Shelter because his boss then (chief Nicholas Pastore) believed he could not be trusted to deal with humans!!!  East Haven hired him to be their chief of police.  What does that tell us about EH?  Cerrato’s comment, which is demonstrably ignorant and racist, is representative of many East Haven residents as well as the power structure.  Of course, there are many EH residents who do not condone racist behaviors; however, too many do, and many who do not keep quiet about it and so it continues.

That is exactly why April Capone lost (?) the recent mayoral election.  All those who voted for Maturo got exactly what they wanted. 
Leaving Maturo in charge is not going to change very much in East Haven.  Even in the Dollar Store the employees watch Black and Hispanic shoppers because they think they are going to steal something.  At the same time, the white teenagers from East Haven are stealing big time, but they are not caught or even paid any attention; that is how bigotry works.  I cringe when I hear some comments made by those from whom we expect better.

posted by: HhE on February 1, 2012  4:09pm

CONECT seams to be quite reasonable.  New Haven State’s Attorney Michael Dearington and the first three posters, not so much.

posted by: Morris Cove Mom on February 1, 2012  4:42pm

Wow, thanks for refreshing my memory about Ferdinando Cerrato.  It’s a good example of the hate spewed by those who should know better. Not to single him out, but to use him to represent a group of people acting ridiculously. Doesn’t he know that everyone hated African-Americans fifty years ago, banned Italians seventy-five years ago, and fought the Irish immigrants one hundred years ago?

I don’t understand why state attorney Michael Dearington handled the situation this way.  Or should I saw ‘mishandled’.  It seems his refusal to even look into the situation was disgraceful, and illegal.

So what do you do when those who are in positions to serve and protect you fail to do so?  When they are the bullies, criminals, and blind eyes?  Where do we turn to then?  Then is now, and we still have no answers, only excuses.

posted by: South West on February 1, 2012  10:02pm

I think most is missing the point the courts are some what the problem. Did any one thank Darrington was going to investigate cops. Give me a break the investigators that work in his office worked with Gallo at NHPD. Do one really think they are going to find just cause to arrest another officer, no matter how bad the sistuation is. Thank back and see how many officers was prosecuted by Darrington office few and few in between. It’s always been the Fed’s who make these arrest and prosectued un-lawful officers. Just the truth I’m stating’‘’‘’‘’’

posted by: Away! on February 1, 2012  11:10pm

This is just too much now.  Enough already.  Manship needs to focus on his sermons and visiting the sick and just leave East Haven alone.  The Chief resigned, the 4 cops got arrested, Maturo ate crow…what more do you want to do?!  Let the people of East Haven go on with their lives.  The Latino’s will fit in just fine.  There numbers seem to rise in terms of yearly population, right?  If it was that bad in East Haven why would they continue to choose to move their?  CT has hundreds of town to choose from.  Id like Manship and all of his comrades to step aside and let things subside.  Mayor Maturo will handle the situation properly if given some room to breathe.

posted by: Walt on February 2, 2012  7:17am

I would agree mostly with HhE,  but not with vacating all charges as he proposes.

Surely all charges are not fictitious.

Many,  even if prejudice shows   up,  are probably   valid and should not be thrown out but some should be retried.

Anon’s ideas will change the first time he or one of his friends is the victim

posted by: anon on February 2, 2012  9:47am

Walt: Wrong. Even ignoring social justice concerns like those in East Haven, we need an approach to reduce the long term costs of crime and prisons, not one driven entirely by profiteering fear-mongers who want to defund schools and raise SCSU tuition in order to expand the prisons. Compare our incarceration rate, crime rates, and relevant social spending with the rest of the industrialized world.

This is the rational, libertarian approach.  Conservatives hate it because they want cheap labor and super high prison profits , and liberals hate it because they need to pander to the public sector unions and could care less about reinvesting in self sufficient urban neighborhoods because that would reduce the need for so many union services.

posted by: Bwilliams on February 2, 2012  12:05pm

As much as I applaud the action of the Federal Government, why are they only focusing on the Latino community? EH have been discriminating against African-Americans for years and this has not been addressed. If EH is going to check back arrest they should include African Americans as well. They killed Milik Jones, yet no mention of this in anyone assessment of East-haven Race issue.

Signed concerned and I am white.

posted by: streever on February 2, 2012  1:00pm

What did Dearington say about Taylor/Gould?

Why didn’t he dismiss charges against Manship after reviewing the video?

Why isn’t anyone at the State level questioning his decision-making process at this point?

posted by: HhE on February 2, 2012  1:13pm

Let me be clear, I do NOT support vacating all convictions.  I do support reviewing them, and taking the appropriate action in each case, which may mean vacating some.  I think that is what CONECT is advocating.

When cops cut corners, this is the sort of thing that happens:  all of their work is cast in doubt, even the work that is good.

posted by: Walt on February 2, 2012  4:01pm

HhE

Sorry if I misread your comment,